GYMNASTICS | WEEK 44 | 10/27/2019
2 Rounds:
10 Banded Pass Throughs
30 Seconds Alternating Wrist Stretches
10 Scapular Push-Ups
10 Forward to Backward Kicks (Right)
10 Forward to Backward Kicks (Left)
Banded Pass Throughs:
1. Begin standing with your feet together, quads squeezed, and glutes engaged. Round your hips under (think of yourself as a dog with its tail between its legs) to ‘turn on’ your core. Practicing this total body tension from your warm-up is going to transfer into higher level skills.
2. Grip your band (any thickness) in a wide set up for the first few reps. Usually near the ends.
3. Using straight arms, lift the band overhead and backwards, until it hits the back of your glutes.
4. Hold to maximize the stretch.
5. Return to your front starting position by repeating the same motion forward.
6. As you get comfortable, begin walking your hands in to a more narrow grip for increased difficulty.
Alternating Wrist Stretches
1. Begin on the floor, sitting on your heels with your knees together.
2. With your fingers facing forward and elbows locked out, press your palms into the ground, and shift your shoulders back and forth over your hands, hinging at the wrist. Both palms should remain in contact with the ground for each rep.
3. Turn your hands 180 degrees until the face backwards (towards your body), and shift your shoulders back and forth over your hands, hinging at the wrists.
4. Next, re-set your hands on the floor, and turn your fingers in, until they face each other. Shift from side to side, fully over each hand, hinging at the wrist.
5. Turn your hands out, until your fingers face away from each other. Shift from side to side, fully over each hand, hinging at the wrist.
6. Repeat all variations with your palms facing up (back of the hands to the ground.)
Scapular Push Ups
1. Set up in a plank position, with your shoulders directly over your wrists.
2. Keeping your entire body tight, allow only your shoulders to relax, and sag down towards the floor.
3. Re-engage the shoulders by “pressing away from the floor” and getting as tall as possible at the top of your plank position.
4. Continue releasing and extending your shoulders, without compromising your tight body position in the plank itself.
Forward to Backward Kicks (Right)
1. Begin standing on both feet, grabbing a sturdy object for support with your left hand (I recommend the post of a rig).
2. Extend your left arm directly out to the side, keeping it parallel to the floor for the entire set.
3. Keeping a straight leg, lift your right foot up in the air as high as possible.
4. Once you reach your full range of motion, drive the heel backward, using momentum to swing your eft leg behind you.
5. Continue swinging your right leg front to back, focusing on keep both legs locked out at all times.
6. Repeat steps for the right side.
Forward to Backward Kicks (Left)
1. Begin standing on both feet, grabbing a sturdy object for support with your right hand (I recommend the post of a rig).
2. Extend your left arm directly out to the side, keeping it parallel to the floor for the entire set.
3. Keeping a straight leg, lift your left foot up in the air as high as possible.
4. Once you reach your full range of motion, drive the heel backward, using momentum to swing your eft leg behind you.
5. Continue swinging your left leg front to back, focusing on keep both legs locked out at all times.
6. Repeat steps for the right side.
3 Rounds
20 Hanging Shoulder Touches
20 Tuck-Ups
10 Kipping Pull-Ups
10 V-Ups
Score: Total Time - but PLEASE choose quality over quantity. This is not to be done for speed!
Subs / Modifications
Scapular pull-ups
Break as needed
Banded pull-up
Tuck-Ups
Hanging Shoulder Touches
1. Begin in an active hang on the bar (there should be space between your shoulders and ears)
2. Release your left hand from the bar, and touch your left shoulder
3. Return to an active hang
4. Release your right hand from the bar, and touch your right shoulder
5. Return to an active hang
6. Keep your body position as tight as possible, to stay controlled through the set
Tuck Ups
1. Begin laying on the ground, with arms extended overhead, legs straight, and lower back pressing into the floor.
2. Lift into a hollow position, with your arms by your sides
3. Simultaneously bend your knees and pull them towards your chest, while lifting your chest towards your knees (you will be coming into a tucked position)
4. Extend back into your hollow position and repeat
Kipping Pull Ups
1. Begin standing directly under the bar.
2. Jump to the bar and catch in a Hollow position.
3. Drive your heels back, press your chest forward, moving into an Arch position.
4. Snap your toes toward to initiate your vertical path.
5. Squeeze your glutes and guide your chin above the height of the bar.
6. Once your chin clears the height of the bar, lean your shoulders backward, and slightly lift your toes in the front to keep an even weight distribution.
7. As you fall under the bar, move back into your arch position, setting yourself up for the next rep.
V-Ups
1. Begin laying on the ground, with arms extended overhead, legs straight, and lower back pressing into the floor.
2. Simultaneously lift your upper and lower body off the floor as high as possible, with the goal of tapping your fingertips to your toes. Only your glutes and tailbone will remain on the ground.
3. Control yourself back down to the floor, returning to your active, starting position.
Skill Focus: Handstand Walking
5 Kick-Up to Wall Handstand
10 Handstand Shoulder Taps
5 Forward Rolls
Then 8 Attempts - Max Handstand Walk
Score: Max distance achieved in one walk! Even if it's only 2 feet or 0!
Kick Up to Wall Handstand
1. Begin in a wide split lunge, with your dominant leg out front. Both knees need to be bent— You want to be able to bounce up and down comfortably.
2. Arms are extended in front of you, with your hands at hip height. Fingers need to be spread and prepared to grip the floor.
3. Slow shift your weight forward as you approach the floor. Try to lay your stomach on the top of your quad.
4. As you set your hands on the floor, use your front (dominant) leg to gently push off the floor, initiating the press towards a handstand. This should feel slow, and strength-based
5. Focus on getting your non-dominant leg to the wall, and slowly bringing the legs together into a full handstand. Emphasis on slow!
Handstand Shoulder Taps
1. Begin in a Handstand Hold against the wall, with your back facing the wall.
2. To initiate the shift, press your left hand into the ground, with the goal of pushing your left shoulder into your left ear until they make contact. This will shift your body to be centered over your left hand.
3. Carefully lift your right hand off the floor, tap your right shoulder, and return to your normal handstand.
4. Press your right hand into the ground, and push your right shoulder into your right ear.
5. Once your body is centered over the right hand, lift the left hand, tap your left shoulder, and return to your normal handstand.
6. Once you’re comfortable with extending through the shoulders, you can increase speed.
Forward Rolls
1. Begin standing with your feet hip-width apart, arms by your sides.
2. Squat down to the floor, and set your hands on the floor in front of you.
3. Lift your glutes into the air, and start walking your toes forward, towards your hands. The goal is to get your feet as close to your hands as possible, in order to make the roll a very smooth, “tip-over” type movement.
4. Tuck your chin into your chest as much as possible. You will stare are your belly button for the entire rotation, which will protect the head and neck. Do not keep a straight neck during the forward roll. Only the back of your head (Ladies, think of where your ponytail is) should touch the floor as you roll. The more you tuck your head in, the safer your neck will be.
5. To initiate the roll, your elbows will have a slow, constant bend, until you find yourself rolling down one vertebrae at a time. Make sure the elbows continuously bend, slowly lowering your body to the floor. Do not keep straight arms.
6. As your elbows bend, your hips will tip forward, allowing you to effortlessly roll. Your feet will land on the floor in front of you, promoting a safe, seated position.
7. Once comfortable, you may increase speed, by moving faster through the steps.
Max Handstand Walks
1. Kick-up to a handstand hold, making sure to keep a tight, stacked body position: Your body should be in one line, with your ankles over your hips, hips over your shoulders, and shoulders over your wrists.
2. Allow your body to tip over, producing the forward momentum needed to start walking your hands.
3. Make sure to keep your hips and glutes set over your finger tips for the walk (this will make sure you continue moving forward, rather than falling backwards).
4. To step, plant each hand and extend through the shoulder, getting as tall as possible. It’s this shoulder extension that will naturally shift your bodyweight from side to side, making your handstand walk much easier.